Mask device



July 25, 1939- F. F. wElDl-:NBORNER msx DEvIcE `Filed Nov. 18, 1938 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY MASK DEVICE Filed Nov. 18, 1938 THE A.B.C. ESTATE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E'a/LEWezIdenornef' BY #imma JW ATTO RN EY Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MASK DEVICE York Application November 18, 1938, Serial No. 241,096

3 Claims.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a mask device, which is simple and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, which can be retained in a loose leaf binder like the ordinary loose sheets, which is inconspicuous in a closed binder, and which can be easily manipulated to facilitate plotting on a graph or chart sheet, or to afford ease of reference to a tabulation sheet, While said device and said latter sheets are retained in the binder.

In accordance with a specific embodiment of the present invention, the mask device comprises a flat stiff plate, provided with one or more openings for exposing certain parts of a loose sheet thereunder, while other parts are screened, said plate having apertures along one edge for receiving the prongs of a conventional loose leaf binder, so that said plate can be retained therein, and turned over from one open cover to the other. Mounted on the mask plate for slidable movement across its opening or openings is a slide, which can be used as a ruler for plotting on the exposed portion of the sheet, or which can be used to align a row of items on a tabulation sheet to facilitate the reading thereof.

Another object is to provide in combination with the mask device above referred to, a loose leaf binder sheet, having a series of graph panels exposed through corresponding openings in said device, the slide secured to said device being adapted to serve as a ruler by which a distribution plan for life insurance money can be charted on said panels.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in Which- Fig. 1 is an inside view of an open loose leaf binder, containing a mask device and a chart sheet, which embody the present invention, and which are shown in separated position after the sheet has been plotted,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary inside view of the open loose leaf binder, but showing the mask device superposed on the chart sheet to be plotted, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a loose leaf binder I0 of the conventional type, having the usual series of sheet retaining prongs II between hinge covers I2. Retained on these prongs II is a paper chart sheet I3, having printed thereon a title box I4 at the top thereof, an aligned row of separate graph panels I5, I6,

II and I8 therebelow, a comparatively large central graph panel 2D below said row of panels, and a smaller central graph panel 2I near the bottom of the sheet, each of these graph panels being titled directly thereabove to indicate the character of insurance distribution symbolized by the curves to be plotted thereon. v

In order to bring into prominence the individual graph panels on the sheet I3, and to facilitate the drawing of the desired curves thereon, there is provided a mask device 23, comprising a ilat stiff comparatively thin rigid plate 24, desirably of metal, and having a pair of apertures 25 near the upper and lower ends of the inner side edges thereof, for loosely receiving the end prongs I I of the binder I0. This plate 24 is substantially the size of the sheet I3, and has at its inner edge an elongated rectangular notch 26, extending between the apertures 25, and clearing the prongs II, except the end ones that pass through said apertures. This construction permits the plate 24 to be retained in the binder, and to be turned from one open cover to the one like an ordinary loose leaf sheet.

The plate 24 has a series of rectangular openings 21, 28,29, 30, 3l, 32 and 33, disposed so that they will be in registry with the title box I4 and the graph panels I5, I6, I'I, I8, 20 and 2| respectively of the chart sheet I3, when said plate;

is superposed over said sheet. These plate openings are just large enough to expose respectively therethrough said title box and said panels with their corresponding titles, as well as theirordinate and abscissa indicia, as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to facilitate the plotting of curves on the exposed graph panels, there is provided a strip-like slide 35, desirably made of thin comparatively rigid sheet metal, and presenting an upper straight ruling edge 36. This slide 35 is permanently secured to the face of the plate 24 opposite the sheet I3, and for that purpose, `has the ends 38 thereof reversely bent loosely over the opposed side edges of said plate respectively, to serve as catches as well as nger pieces by which the slide 35 can be manipulated into the desired position. The bent-over end 38 on the inner side edge of the plate 24 slides in the notch 26, so that the ends 4l] of said notch serve as abutments to limit the slide movement of the slide 35, and to prevent Withdrawal of said slide from said plate.

In order to reduce sliding friction between the catches 38 and the plate 24 to a minimum, the width of said catches is desirably about one-half the width of the intermediate section of the slide usY V35, said reduction being effected by cutting out angular notches on the lower end corners of the blank, from which the'slide 35 is made. These angular cutouts in the ends of the slide 35 also serve to permit said slide to move with its lower edge VIII below the lower end 40 of the notch 26.

If therefore the bottom of the graph panel 2| extends below this notch end 40 as shown in the drawings, the lower edgeM of the slide 35, serving as va straight ruling edge, can be made to reach said panel bottom. Y

In the application of the'mask device 23, if for example it is desired to plot a curve on the graph panel 20, symbolizing an objective plan of monthly distribution of life insurance to the family of the insured upon his death, the slide 35 is moved upwardly until its ruling edge 36 is in registry with the desired ordinate indicatingmonthly income. 'A line is then drawn along this ruling eating thenumber of years for which the monthlynincome is to be paid. If forinstance,the plan envisages a reduction in monthly income after a'period of years, then the slide 35V is moved down tothe desired reduced monthly figure, and a line is f drawn along Ythe new position of the ruling edge 36 for the required number of years from the termination of the initial monthly income. In this manner, a curve A can be charted 'on Vthe graph panel 20, indicating one phase of theA distributiongplan. In a similar way, the slide maybe used for plotting the curves B on the other vrexposed graph panels, to indicate ysired, twoV curves may be drawn on each graph the insurance company i 40 budget possibilities of the insured, the Ylatter i' plan to be as close to the objective plan as is possible.

Although the mask device 23 has been shown l as usefulrin plotting curves on chart sheets, as

20 edge 36 until it reaches the desired abs'cissa indiother'phases of the distribution plan. If de- Y panel in different colors, in order to indicate Y respectivelya plan in accordance with the fobjec- Y tives of the insured, and a plan recommended by Y in accordance with construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1`. A mask device comprising a comparatively thin flat plate, having a pair of apertures at one edge Vfor receiving a lpair of sheet retaining prongs respectively ofY a loose leaf binder, said plate having one or more openings for exposing therethrough portions of a sheet underlying said plate, and a slideV Vsecured to said plate, and

i s lidable along one face thereof across said opening or openings, said slide presenting a side adapted to be used as a reference or ruling edge on the exposed portionV of said sheet." 'f

2. A mask device comprising a comparatively thin flatV plate, having a pair ofapertures at one prongs respectively of a loose leaf binder, said plate having one or more openings for'exposing therethrough portions of a sheet `underlying saidv plate, and a straight-edged strip on one face of said plate, having its ends reversely bent across the opposite edges of said plate respectively, and

over the other facey of said4 plate, whereby said strip is slidably mounted on said plate for movement across said opening or openings.

173. A mask device comprising a comparatively thin iiat plate, having` a pair of apertures near the upper and lower ends` at one side edge thereof, for receiving a pair of Ysheet retaining prongs `edge for receiving a pair of"sheet,retaining` respectively of a loose leaf binder, said plate hav-VVV ing oneaor more openings for exposing there,

4&2

through the portion of a sheet underlying said plate, andY having an elongated notch along said edge extending between said apertures, andV a straight-edged strip on one face of said plate, having its ends reversely bent across the op-posite edges of said plate respectively, and over the other face of said plate, whereby said strip is slidably mounted on said plate for movement across said opening or openings, one of said bent-overl strip ends being retained in said ,notchvv Y against Withdrawal therefrom. 

